Rewatching one of my all time favorites that came out a couple years ago. Nowadays black-and-white is sometimes the best aesthetic choice - no longer just something inferior forced by budgetary concerns. There are several examples: a few to consider include the current Ida, the recent Nebraska, this Much Ado About Nothing, and The Turin Horse. (And Clint Eastwoods heavily desaturated Letters from Iwo Jima half-qualifies.) Whats spoken is Shakespeares language exactly (including a few not-so-PC bits), yet the actors own it so thoroughly theres no doubt about what anything means or who is thinking what. Its believable; it sounds entirely realistic. The actors wear current clothing styles (including more than a few suits and ties). Almost all the action takes place in and around one large nice modern house, including multiple stairways and more glassware than you can imagine and a small Greek amphitheater for things like outdoor weddings. They dance to music from an iPod. and watch remote events unfold on smartphone video. The gentlewomen are recast as maids that fit into the vast house unremarkably. Dogberry carries a gun holstered under his arm, has multiple PCs in his lair, and watches everybody on closed circuit TV monitors. His world looks like nothing so much as a current TV cop show. The non-speaking still photographer with her huge camera lens sometimes takes publicity shots, and other times is inside the production. Like Shakespeare apparently intended, this is a mix of everything; bits of almost ridiculous slapstick one moment give way to monumental rages so emotional theyll bring you to tears the next. Its engrossing. Just like in the theater, I started out thinking I should like this, but was soon so thoroughly absorbed I lost all track of time.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Jun 2014 03:27:49 +0000
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